A Look At This Time Last Year

So much changes in a year. At this time last year, Dayton was learning how to run down hills, hardly had any hair and I was more than halfway through my pregnancy with Saige. Nobody knew that 4 months later we would welcome a beautiful pink bundle into the world. The heat of the summer in Louisiana was just getting started and I recall huge, hot and sticky being a regular part of my vocabulary. Of course, running after Dayton didn't help much in the way of keeping me cool. Little did we know that a move across the Pacific to Hawaii was just around the corner. It always amazes me how quickly time passes with kids and how much they grow. Looking back always makes me smile, but in a sense, makes me very sad too. You can never get those days back. Thankfully, cameras help preserve the beauty of memories.

The Most Neurotic & Stinky Tula Belle

Meet Tula: A neurotic, stinky, shifty-eyed, yellow lab that hates to be left alone if even for a second and LOVES fetching to the point of collapse. She was an ugly rat of a puppy that bit anything that moved and had to be taught how to fetch. She grew into a lanky OCD dog with brown stinky teeth. She chases things that aren't visible in the event that there "might" be something there. Her nose is always wet (and her receding hairline makes it quite large looking) and her spit pocket (extra lip flap) is always full of foamy slime. Sometimes she will wipe it on your leg when you aren't looking and it will leave something similar to that of a snail trail. But for all of her obvious genetic flaws, she is the most patient creature with the kids curiosity. She has been victim to many tail yanks, eye pokes, plucks of fur and free horsey rides. She doesn't know it yet, but soon she will learn all about dress up. We love her.

The Life of a Brown Bear Named Shey

Meet Shey: Soft, gentle, brown and suffers from selective hearing syndrome. She is my first baby and is much like a toddler...she doesn't listen unless being bribed by treats...she leaves her toys all over the house for us to trip on...she thinks she owns the whole street and likes to let others know that they don't belong there...she hogs the bed...she doesn't like to share with anyone...and she constantly runs off. We thought she would be the mother hen with the kids - turns out she doesn't much like them unless they are eating. As obnoxious as she is, we wouldn't trade her for the world because she is so loyal and loving and has provided us with MANY laughs.

Meet Saige

Meet Saige: My sweet, plump, 23lb 8 month old wearing 18 month old clothing! Not small, but not so big that she can't get around. At 8 months she has mastered mobility with fierce determination and an admirable amount of grace. Give her a piece of furniture or a toy that moves and she will get to where she needs to go. There is no obstacle that prevents her from getting something she sees if she wants it bad enough. She adores her brother and her smile lights up the room when he is around. She loves to jump, eat, babble and laugh. She is not so fond of pears, bananas or getting dressed.

Meet Dayton

Meet Dayton: A typical 2 year old hurricane of a boy disguised as an angel. Weighing in at 24lbs my little peanut is the love of my life (well one of them). He never sits still, explores his world and invades everyone elses, refuses to fall asleep, eats with his hands, squishes bugs, touches things he knows he shouldn't, jumps on the furniture, rides the dogs like horses, runs away when it is time to get dressed and is a pro at acting like he didn't just get caught doing something wrong. But how can I be mad for more than a moment when he tells me he loves me, kisses my nose, asks me if I'm okay and squirms his way onto my lap for a belly rub. Somehow, I always forgive him.